


A Life Worth Fighting For

by apairofglasses



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:01:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25105885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apairofglasses/pseuds/apairofglasses
Summary: I have so many unfinished Sokka/Zuko WIPs that I've been sitting on for ages. I'm going to be tidying up each WIP and posting it as it's own chapter. Stories range from PWPs to AUs to cute one-shots, etc. Ratings will vary chapter to chapter. Title is from the song Disparate Youth by Santigold. If anyone wants to take any of these WIPs and roll with it, please, please, do.Chapter 1: A first draft/alternate beginning of To My Favorite Fire Lord wherein instead of Sokka and Zuko being alone when they kiss, Sokka kisses Zuko in front of the Gaang and hilarity ensues. Much sillier than TMFFL. Rated T for some cussing but it's an overall G experience.Chapter 2: Stay tuned!
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 87





	A Life Worth Fighting For

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many unfinished Sokka/Zuko WIPs that I've been sitting on for ages. I'm going to be tidying up each WIP and posting it as it's own chapter. Stories range from PWPs to AUs to cute one-shots, etc.
> 
> This particular chapter is a first draft/alternate beginning of To My Favorite Fire Lord wherein instead of Sokka and Zuko being alone when they kiss, Sokka kisses Zuko in front of the Gaang. Actually, I think I wrote this far in advance of the epistolary part of TMFFL, which I wrote in it's entirety during a grad school class period and then later in my car because I was so struck by inspiration. I later adapted this beginning that you'll read now to fit the epistolary parts, tidied it all up, and added the ending to make it the story it became. 
> 
> When I write, it's usually because I've thought of a scene within one of my headcanons and this one was no different. This was taking place in a future where everyone was living with Zuko in his house helping restore world peace and being a bunch of goofballs while at it. 
> 
> This chapter hasn't been betaed yet because it's 5:10 am and my sister is asleep and of course I'm doing it now. Tomorrow I'll have her look at it and make any edits necessary. 
> 
> I'm so happy that people are finding ATLA and that it's resonating with them. I love this series and this ship. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy these. I still do when I look back on them. 
> 
> Also, I know it's been *looks at watch* six years, but I will try to post the sexy sequel to TMFFL because you all deserve it and so does Zuko.

Zuko wanted to pout but reminded himself that he was 23 years old, as well as in charge of a nation, and for that reason he should put off sulking until he was quietly holed up in his quarters. Maybe with a pint of ice cream.

Sokka hadn't even left yet and already Zuko was feeling his loss like a cramp in his side. Sokka was an excellent ambassador and an excellent inventor. He was the best man for the job by far and Zuko reluctantly sent him when his talents were requested. He wanted Sokka to stay, and not because he was handy, or because his cartography skills surpassed any countrymen Zuko had ever met, but because Sokka also happened to have become his very best friend.

To make the entire situation even worse, the avatar, Katara and Toph were eating breakfast very loudly in the foyer where Sokka was bidding his final farewell. They had both been busy for ages and Zuko wanted a moment alone with his right-hand man/best friend before he embarked on a three-month mission. Three months was a dreadfully long time.

Sokka heaved his pack onto a broad shoulder. He had filled out into a rather large, hulking man despite his still childlike features. He was top to bottom muscles rippling underneath smooth skin and Zuko had a difficult time pretending he didn't find that attractive. Sokka turned with an unreasonably sheepish smile toward Zuko, as if he'd done something wrong. His puppy dog eyes blinked at Zuko and Zuko understood how he was feeling because he felt the same way. He cast a frustrated glance at the others, whom he loved but was not comfortable displaying the closeness of his and Sokka's relationship in front of.

"Well… I guess this is see you later," Sokka said, smiling wryly. He always made a point not to say "good bye" when taking leave from the castle.

Zuko smiled sadly.

"Have a good trip and try not to get into too much trouble. I'll write you as soon as I can and send it with one Hawkey or another."

Sokka grinned and gave a small wave before calling his last goodbye to the group and departing through the front doors. Zuko sighed, willing himself not to look so depressed in front of his friends. He knew he should sit with them for a while, that that would be the polite thing to do. Instead, he wanted to lay back down in bed in misery. He stood undecided for a couple moments before realizing that his company was talking excitedly amongst themselves anyway and wouldn't notice his absence. He turned to walk back towards his quarters and had his hand on the bannister to the staircase when he heard the front doors suddenly bang open.

Zuko turned in surprise to see Sokka again. He ignored the little flip in his chest and asked, "Hey, did you forget something?"

Sokka walked straight up to Zuko, dropping the heavy pack on the floor beside their feet.

"Yep, I did," he said, cupping Zuko's cheek.

Zuko's eyes widened and before he could get another word out, Sokka was kissing him and he was melting, melting into the other man’s embrace. Distantly, Zuko registered the shocked gasps and clattering of tableware from his friends, but mostly he was consumed by Sokka's gentle, yet commanding kiss. Sokka's mouth was warm and wonderful, the stubble on his cheek tickling Zuko's flesh. They broke apart, foreheads and noses pressed together as they both caught their breath. Zuko realized that at some point he had wound his arms around Sokka's neck and could feel his pulse racing.

"Um," Zuko said, dumbly.

"Um,” Sokka said just as dumbly, drawing back with flushed cheeks, “I—uh, I’ll write to you as soon as I can. For real.”

His hands were still resting on Zuko's waist.

"I can’t wait to read it," Zuko’s mouth said without his consent. He was fairly dazed.

Sokka gave an embarrassed smile before grabbing his pack back up and hustling back out the front doors.

Zuko's heart was hammering. It felt like that sensation when you first start descending in a hot air balloon when it’s almost like your stomach drops out of you. He lifted his fingers to his lips where Sokka's had been only moments before as if in a dream.

" _What was that?!”_

Zuko almost jumped out of his skin at Katara's yell. The kiss had made him completely forget others were in the room. His friends were all looking to him for an explanation or at the very least a story. Toph was wearing big shit-eating grin on her face, which was to be expected. Aang seemed confused and Katara was already rising from her seat at the table, furious.

"I… I don't know," Zuko said faintly, his cheeks still glowing.

"You don’t _know_?" Katara asked fiercely.

"I—he just—we—" Zuko stuttered, wishing that Sokka had stayed to defend his honor against his sometimes terrifying sister.

"You just made out with _my brother_ in front of—” Katara gestured wildly behind her at Toph and Aang, “in front of everyone!"

Zuko spluttered, his cheeks aflame, looking desperately to Aang for help.

Aang made eye contact with Zuko and was about to shrug when his eyes lit up. “Actually, Katara, it’s an old fire nation custom that—"

“Be quiet, Aang, it is definitely not a custom!”

Aang made a face at Zuko as if to say ‘I’m sorry, I tried!’

Katara advanced toward the fire lord, looking dangerously close to raising all of the water off the breakfast table and onto Zuko’s robes.

"So is it ‘customary’" (she did finger quotes at this) "for the fire lord to suck face with _all_ of his guests? Or just my brother, specifically."

Zuko’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. I mean, of course he had had _fleeting fantasies_ of kissing Sokka because he was insanely attractive and an asset to the rehabilitation of the kingdoms and extremely fun to shop with and, well, if Zuko had enough time he could probably write an entire scroll of all the reasons why kissing Katara’s brother specifically should become a custom. Not a single one of those reasons seemed appropriate to bring up at this particular moment and Zuko was about to resign himself to becoming very wet very soon before Toph stopped laughing long enough to interject.

"Pipe down, sugar queen, you're being so dramatic for no reason!" she said through _actual tears of laughter_.

Katara spun around on the younger girl. "What if all this time Zuko has been grooming Sokka to be his _consort_ or _concubine_?”

Aang snorted into his cup and then quickly tried to pretend like he’d just choked on a bit of juice. Toph looked absolutely delighted.

“Even if Sokka knew that’s what he was being groomed for I’m not sure he’s emotionally intelligent enough to object because he’s so—!”

Whatever Sokka was according to Katara, Zuko didn’t get to find out because Toph cut her off to say, “Oh come on, if you pulled your head out of your butt for one second, you could clearly see that Sokka has a thing for him!"

"What?” Zuko and Katara said at the same time. Katara’s eyes shot to Zuko’s and he shrugged in hopes of demonstrating, ‘I’m just as confused as you are! Please don’t hurt me.’

"Zuko, seriously,” Toph deadpanned. “There have been _so_ many signs.”

Zuko looked desperately to the avatar.

“There _have_ kind of been a lot of signs,” Aang said.

“Aang!” Katara groused.

"I just didn’t think they were going to actually do anything about it!” Aang said.

“I, personally, think it was awesome, Zuko," Toph said, giving him a thumbs up and a huge grin.

“We are so happy for you guys!” Aang added.

Katara regarded Zuko for a moment and then sighed.

"I guess… he could do worse than the fire lord…" she conceded crossly.

Toph whooped. "That's what I like to hear!"

“So… I’m just going to go upstairs and think on all that for a while. It, uh, it came as a surprise to me too,” Zuko said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Katara muttered.

“Sounds good! Let me know if you want to talk more about it later!” Aang offered, dipping aggressively back into his breakfast.

“Let me know later if you want to talk about how hard Sokka’s heart was beating when he smooched you oh man it was like—”

“Aang, probably yes,” Zuko said, “Toph, gross. (“Awww!”) And Katara,” he met her eyes, “Are we good?”

Katara pursed her lips.

“Yeah,” she said. “We’re good.”

Feeling tongue-tied and all twisted up in the gut, Zuko finally began scaling the staircase that led to his room and the reality of the really good thing that had just happened set in. Sokka liked him back? Enough to kiss him like that?

Zuko’s bedroom door closed behind him and he allowed an absolutely and truly goofy smile to expand on his face. He closed his eyes and remembered Sokka’s mouth on his own.

He couldn’t wait to see what Sokka would write him in his letter.

And he _really_ couldn’t wait to have his best friend back at home.


End file.
